


A Bit of Positivity

by AniDragon



Series: World State 02: LGBT [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-22 22:57:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3746704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AniDragon/pseuds/AniDragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A small scene set between the encounter with Dorian's father and the conversation with Dorian at Skyhold. </p>
<p>Sometimes what you need is to hear that it's possible for people like you to have good experiences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Bit of Positivity

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you again to Elthadriel for beta-reading! :)

          Engel poked at the fire, trying to avoid looking at Dorian, who sat nearby. The rest of the camp had retired for the night, and Engel felt like he should say _something_ after the events of the day, but how does one exactly start that sort of conversation? _Gee, I’m sorry your dad’s a jerk. Do you want a hug?_

          Somehow, he had a feeling that wouldn’t go over well.

          He chanced a glance up, and his heart ached at the sight. Dorian was sitting just a few feet away, his arms wrapped around himself as if to ward off the cold, and his gaze locked on the flame in front of him. His expression was closed off, and Engel couldn’t even begin to guess at what he was thinking.

          He needn’t have wondered.

          “What was it like for you?” Dorian asked without looking up from the fire.

          “What?”

          Dorian sighed and glanced up at him. “With your family. In regards to your... preferences.”

          Engel winced. There was no need to further elaborate, what with his embarrassing admission in the tavern earlier. There was a time and a place for flirtation, and in front of a disapproving father was very clearly not one of them. “Dorian, I was the youngest of seven, my experiences don’t really compare to yours at all...”

          “I know.” Dorian gave him a soft smile. “I just... I’d like to know. If you’re comfortable sharing.”

          Engel nodded, leaning back a bit on the rock he was sitting on. “My parents were okay with it. If anything, they were a bit relieved.”

          Dorian raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Relieved?”

          Engel chuckled. “We’re a big family. And the bigger the family, the more the family coffers need to be split. They already had the heir and the spare, and the rest of us were pushed into a life of service to the Chantry. For years, they’d been not-so-subtly hinting at me that I should take vows of celibacy. When they found out I wasn’t interested in women, well... They stopped pushing.

          “Sorry.” He rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. “Like I said, I can’t really relate to what happened to you...”

          “Don’t be sorry!” Dorian smiled. “Engel, I’m happy you had a better experience than me. It’s... nice. To hear that some parents can be accepting.”

          Engel laughed. “Well, to a point. They might not have had any problems with me liking other boys, but they did have a problem with the specific boy I happened to like.”

          “Oh, this I _have_ to hear,” Dorian teased. “Was it an older man? No, you said boy, hmm... A commoner, then?”

          “Commoner,” Engel confirmed. “Not just a commoner, an elf-blooded servant. He worked in our stables.”

          “The _stable boy_!” Dorian laughed. “Oh _Inquisitor_! The scandal!”

          Engel blushed. “It wasn’t like that—Kai and I had been friends for a long time!”

          “Let me guess!” Dorian was grinning. “You decided to practice kissing together and ended up enjoying it more than anticipated?”

          Engel gaped at him. It was so close to the truth that he wasn’t quite sure how to reply.

          Dorian almost doubled over in laughter. Engel couldn’t help but to laugh as well. Thinking on it, it _did_ seem to be the kind of thing you’d find in Varric’s bad romance serials.

          And it was nice to see Dorian laugh, after the unpleasant business with his father. Later, they’d talk about that. Maybe once they got back to Skyhold, where things were comfortable and familiar. For now, Engel realised, this was exactly what Dorian needed. Laughter, and the chance to openly discuss the subject that had previously been taboo. To hear about it in a positive light.

          So Engel told him more. He talked about how rare it was for him to feel attraction to others, but that when it did happen it was always towards other males. He talked about trying to kiss a girl once, and while it wasn’t unpleasant, he’d felt no desire to do any more. He talked about the early days of his relationship with Kai, before things had gone bad.

          Eventually the fire started dying down, and Engel felt himself yawning more often than not. After a particularly long yawn, Dorian chuckled and stood up.

          “I do thank you for the diversion from my thoughts, Engel,” he stated. “But I think that was our signal to retire for the night.”

          Engel laughed and stood up as well. “I think you’re right.”

          He headed towards his tent, pausing for a moment before turning back to Dorian.

          “Listen,” he said. “I just... There’s nothing wrong with you.”

          Dorian looked surprised, then waved his hand with a chuckle. “Of course not. I’m perfect.”

          Engel rolled his eyes. “I mean it. There’s nothing wrong with you, or with me, or with anyone else like us. And I’ll fight anyone who tries to tell you differently.”

          Dorian shook his head with a sad smile. “Not even you can fight the whole Imperium.”

          “Give me time,” Engel teased. “I’ll manage. In the meantime, though, if _anyone_ in the Inquisition gives you grief over this, let me know and I’ll take care of it.”

          “Thank you,” Dorian replied, his eyes sincere and his face open, and Engel suddenly wanted nothing more than to close the distance between them and kiss him. But it was late, and Dorian was still hurting despite his smile, so instead Engel just nodded and turned back to his tent.

          Maybe when they were back at Skyhold and today’s encounter was behind them... When it would be about _them_. Maybe then.


End file.
